The present invention relates generally to tie-down devices for retaining objects in vehicles and, in particular, to such a device incorporating a one-step, push-lock feature for easy installation.
In vehicles, such as automobiles, trucks, busses, aircraft, boats and trains, it often is desirable to provide tie-down devices to secure cargo to a floor or wall to prevent unwanted motion during transit. Various anchor fittings have been developed for attaching objects to vehicle load bearing surfaces including devices that engage in permanent tracks or slots in a surface, loops or rings that are permanently attached to a vehicle surface with fasteners, and various devices that are installed in mounting holes formed in a vehicle surface.
However, increasingly the vehicle floors and walls are being covered with carpeting or trim panels surfaced with cloth, vinyl or leather. Thus, the known tie-down devices present assembly problems that increase the time and cost to finish a vehicle.